Source: Team_Talk
Hibs boss Mixu aims to go forth
Victory by a two-goal cushion at Aberdeen on Sunday will see the Edinburgh side leapfrog the Dons into fifth place in the Scottish Premier League.
Although the Easter Road side have realised their target of finishing the campaign in the upper echelons of the SPL, Paatelainen wants to go one step further next term by claiming a European berth.
He said: "The way we have performed during the top-six matches has been tremendous - I have been really pleased and I have given the boys praise all along.
"Hopefully, next season, we can keep going with the way we have been playing.
"Hopefully we can make a challenge for Europe next season - who knows?
"Our target next season is to qualify for the top six again; we want to have a good go and qualify for Europe.
"It will be a big challenge again; there is every chance our budget will be cut because of the climate.
"We have players out there who have been good for us this season and hopefully they are good for us against next season.
"It's been up and down but we are satisfied overall with the season because our target first and foremost was to qualify for the top six and we have done that."
Paatelainen has endured a tumultuous campaign from the dugout.
After surviving shouts for his sacking at the start of the season following their exit in the Intertoto Cup at the hands of IF Elfsborg, Hibs also went through a barren middle part of the season before finally making the top six ahead of Motherwell.
The Finn concedes he has also been at fault for their results but is determined to return stronger and wiser next term.
He said: "I have learned hugely; for me it never stops.
"It has been an absolutely fantastic season. As a coach and a manager, I have learned a lot.
"I have made plenty of mistakes but I've made plenty of correct decisions as well.
"It's been good in that respect.
"I am big enough to admit my mistakes; there have been times I've held my hands up to the boys and said maybe we should have done things differently, but you learn from these things.
"We have plenty to improve on, that's for sure. Our form at times this season has not been as good as we wanted.
"We are still at the stage where we are not playing every game how we want and we need to improve."
